Colombia-Venezuela border massacre
Over the weekend the bodies of 10 members of an "amateur soccer team" kidnapped two weeks ago in Colombia were found in Venezuela. Only one person survived the massacre. The dead are eight Colombians, one Venezuelan and one Peruvian according to local media.
While the initial reports indicated the ELN may be responsible, other theories have been raised including non-aligned criminal groups or Venezuelan guerrilla groups (the FBL). The one survivor says the captors were well armed, wearing camouflage and Che t-shirts, driving new vehicles and listening to "Mexican" music. They communicated with each other over radio.
This incident could be a moment to increase cooperation between the governments or it could be a time to increase tensions. Colombia asked for Venezuela to cooperate on the investigation as well as on securing populations along the border from violence. The Venezuelan government has increased the tensions.
Yesterday, the Venezuelan government sent a protest note to Colombia claiming the DAS are operating in Tachira, using the investigation into the massacre as a cover for intelligence operations. Venezuelan Vice-President Carrizalez even suggested that the victims of the massacre were actually paramilitaries sent to infiltrate Venezuela and not civilians.
The Colombian government sent a plane to repatriate the bodies and the Venezuelan government would not permit the plane to land. The bodies were repatriated later in the evening.
This is just one particularly gruesome event on the area of the border that is insecure and is seeing increased crime on both sides.
While the initial reports indicated the ELN may be responsible, other theories have been raised including non-aligned criminal groups or Venezuelan guerrilla groups (the FBL). The one survivor says the captors were well armed, wearing camouflage and Che t-shirts, driving new vehicles and listening to "Mexican" music. They communicated with each other over radio.
This incident could be a moment to increase cooperation between the governments or it could be a time to increase tensions. Colombia asked for Venezuela to cooperate on the investigation as well as on securing populations along the border from violence. The Venezuelan government has increased the tensions.
Yesterday, the Venezuelan government sent a protest note to Colombia claiming the DAS are operating in Tachira, using the investigation into the massacre as a cover for intelligence operations. Venezuelan Vice-President Carrizalez even suggested that the victims of the massacre were actually paramilitaries sent to infiltrate Venezuela and not civilians.
The Colombian government sent a plane to repatriate the bodies and the Venezuelan government would not permit the plane to land. The bodies were repatriated later in the evening.
This is just one particularly gruesome event on the area of the border that is insecure and is seeing increased crime on both sides.
Labels: Colombia, conflict, latinamerica, security, Venezuela |
